


F(alter)

by MiniNephthys



Category: Fate/Zero, Fate/stay night (Visual Novel)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-01
Updated: 2011-11-02
Packaged: 2017-10-25 15:04:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/271630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniNephthys/pseuds/MiniNephthys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One, the other, or two. It is a complicated thing, knighthood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Saber

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文 available: [F(ALTER) 被侵蚀的骑士道](https://archiveofourown.org/works/363808) by [riminal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/riminal/pseuds/riminal)



> I may go back and add a plot to any of these, but all three of these chapters are more likely to be snapshots.

Lancer understands very little of his place in this war, but it cannot be any worse than his place in the last. Although his summoning seems to have been off, leaving him with memories he should not have had, painful ones that cause him to look at his rightful Master with mistrust before he catches himself... although that is true, at least his Master is not Kayneth. Although something interferes with the war, a creeping Shadow more dangerous than any Servant, at least there is something to defend his Master from and receive their gratitude. That is some comfort.

When he's sent out scouting, a necessity with everything so uncertain, he recognizes her presence in the forest. How could he not, with even the slightest hint of his last summoning remaining in his mind?

Saber-

(will be my truest opponent, will be honest, will let me return to my Master's side as I would allow her to go to hers, will bring her blade against Caster in a stroke worthy enough to destroy my Noble Phantasm for, will never use underhanded means, will give me one honorable duel in this battle before we die)

-will not falter.

This he knows, and this is what lifts his spirits. Although this war is twisted, with innocents dying every night and Servants and Masters falling to a formless Shadow of unknown origin, the Saber he knows from the last war is here. No other knight would he rather have at his side against such a menace.

With all the speed of a Lancer class, he springs to where he can see her for the first time since their last parting.

Saber-

(dressed in black armor with red lines crawling across it like veins, a helmet obscuring her visage, skin as pale as death, coldly finishing off Berserker and paying no mind to his child-Master's sobs)

He does not finish the thought. He cannot. His mind starts from the beginning. Saber- Again it finds no way to continue, and skips. Saber-

If she notices him, she gives no sign of it. The Shadow swallows all of Berserker by the time he is forced into action: she takes a step towards that trembling child, blade still unsheathed. Even in a state of shock, Lancer is still quick enough to interpose himself, both spears in his hands.

"What are you doing?" His voice is hoarse. "What happened to you, Saber?"

The slightest inclination of her head. "I am removing an enemy for my Master. Surely you would understand." Her voice is the same, if a little more flat; with the helmet it's almost impossible to tell her emotions. Her eyes were always more expressive than her voice.

"What _happened_ to you?" Lancer repeats, realizing that the first question was unimportant in comparison.

She almost smiles at that. "I was a fool, and I was brought to reality."

His words come out it a rush: "No. You were the best of us, the most glorious of all knights. Someone I was proud to fight alongside and against. You had nothing to be ashamed of then, King of Knights."

Saber pauses for a moment. "I have been called away. We will see each other again." Without further farewell, she disappears to return to her Master.

He drops his spears and collapses to his knees. In a moment he has to say something to the child still shivering behind him, but first he must be calm himself if he is to be of use.


	2. Lancer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The other.

"I must stop you here, Saber. My Master wishes it so."

Saber has heard that voice before, the voice that echoes through the corridors of the Einzbern castle, but it takes her a moment to recognize it. The voice is too cold, now, or more accurately eerily without emotion at all.

"Lancer, you too have-?!"

Lancer takes a step from behind one of the doors in the hallway, and she gasps.

All she sees at first is blood. Blood coats both his weapons, covers his hands. There are large splatters on his armor and even his face. And yet his expression is completely calm. Even for the Lancer who was never prone to displays of great emotion except just before his death, this is far too much.

"I've warned you once." His lances are at the ready. "My orders are to eliminate you if you either run or fight."

Still, he makes no move to attack if she does not provoke him. Swallowing her revulsion, she speaks. "Is Illyasviel still alive, or are you under orders not to speak to me further?"

"My Master needs her alive. Her bodyguards are now dead." Still he shows no emotion at being covered with their blood.

If Ilya lives, then she isn't too late completely. But finding Lancer here... "Standing here so boldly after helping to kidnap a child and murder her companions... Do you have any shame at what you've done, Lancer?"

"I follow the orders of my Master." The answer is immediate. "Nothing else matters. It makes no difference to me what the orders are."

"Is following the orders of your lord all that the knights' code means?" If there is any way to reach him, it would be through his knighthood, but already Saber doubts that any Servant corrupted by the Shadow can be brought back. If it were anyone else she wouldn't even try. It's only because it's Lancer that she can't help it.

"The knights' code is contradictory. No one can follow chivalry and loyalty, honesty and duty all at once. We make a choice and it inevitably dooms us when our intentions were only the best." Lancer's grip on his weapons tightens. "I follow the will of my Master. This is all that matters to me now."

"...I see."

Saber raises her blade.

"The Lancer I know narrowed his chance for victory and gave up his Noble Phantasm to help a greater good, and went against his Master's wishes to have an honest duel with me. He would never have stood here and spoken to me of blindly following one's lord instead of making a difficult choice. For that Lancer's sake, I will defeat you and end your violation of his image. Prepare yourself!"

She has to find victory against him. Shirou is relying on her; somewhere, Ilya is in pain; there may yet still be a chance to help Sakura. Now, Lancer needs her victory as much as the others do. She owes him that much.


	3. Knights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both.

(Brought down to one knee by her, he cannot now reach his lance that could have even perhaps repelled it; it a swirling Shadow takes him whole as she watches on impassively-)

"Are you awake?"

Lancer opens his eyes. Saber is watching him, waiting.

"Yes. As far as I can tell, everything is normal," he answers, calm. He hasn't been this calm in a very long time.

"What do you want to do?" she asks.

What a strange question. "I want to follow the commands of our Master: nothing else is important, is it?" he answers, confusion creeping in. "Does she want me to do anything else?"

"I had to be certain before letting you run unsupervised. Sakura has orders for you a little later," she explains.

But not at this very moment. Lancer doesn't know quite what to do with himself. "...Saber, I apologize. I should not have resisted you and her. I was being foolish."

That earns him a smile. "You are forgiven. You were no more foolish than I was, before."

Before, when they were bright and thought the world was worthy of that brightness. Before, when they felt that all of their suffering was useful for something. That kind of before needs no elaboration and should have none. It is only barely worth a mention.

She goes on: "I would rather have no other Servant by my side than you, Lancer. That has never changed."

"Thank you." Only the praise of his Master could get him to truly smile, but this does bring a lightness to his expression. "I'm certain that the two of us could accomplish any task together."

"It seems we'll find out soon."

(They burn the world together, for their Master's sake, and regret not one single thing.)


End file.
